There was plenty of great golf action this past weekend as the Osoyoos Golf Club held its 2015 club championship tournament. Rick Dundas (far left) repeated as senior men’s club champion, edging out Jerry Chamberlain in the second hole of a playoff. Claudia Wood fended off two-time defending champion Paule Aukema to win her third women’s club championship in five years. Roddy Saarinen won the men’s club championship for the second time, edging out good friend Roger Pires. Josh Bowman (far right) was the only junior to compete in the club championship tournament. (Keith Lacey photo)
Roddy Saarinen saved his best shot for last as he captured his second Osoyoos Golf Club’s men’s club championship Sunday afternoon, while Claudia Wood managed to fend off two-time defending women’s club champion Paule Aukema to claim her third women’s title in the past five years.
Meanwhile, Rick Dundas captured his second-consecutive senior club championship as he edged good friend Jerry Chamberlain in the second playoff hole.
Saarinen, 42, had a two-stroke lead over good friend and playing partner Roger Pires heading into the 18th hole Sunday afternoon.
He then proceeded to nail his tee shot well over 300 yards and then hit a pitching wedge to within inches with a huge gallery looking on to secure a tap-in birdie and three-shot victory over Pires to claim the men’s club championship.
Saarinen shot an even-par 72 on Saturday’s first round on the Desert Golf course and wrapped up the championship on Sunday with a solid 74 on the Park Meadows course.
Saarinen captured his first Osoyoos men’s club championship back in 2009.
“The first one was probably the sweetest just because it’s the first, but winning a second one is pretty sweet too because there are some really good golfers at this club,” said Saarinen. “I think what I will remember most is hitting those two great shots on the final hole and having the tap-in birdie and getting a standing ovation from the crowd gathered around the green.
“It was a great way to finish off a great tournament and something I’m going to remember for awhile.”
Saarinen, a former star in the Ontario Hockey League, is originally from Thunder Bay, Ont.
He moved to Calgary back in the 1990s and began a career in the oil fields – a career he continues to this day.
He didn’t know anyone in Calgary, but that changed quickly when he joined a golf course and became friends with a group of guys who used to travel to Osoyoos on a regular basis to play golf.
It was during his first trip to Osoyoos more than a dozen years ago that he decided this is where he wanted to live.
“The first time I saw this place, I simply couldn’t believe it and two months later I was living here,” he said smiling.
He met Salena Shemilt, the former food and beverage manager at Osoyoos Golf Club, several years ago and they are now engaged to be married.
Despite a couple of double bogeys – one each day – Saarinen said he played consistent and solid golf all weekend.
Getting to play with Pires and Greg Balogh – both former club champions – made the entire weekend a fantastic experience, he said.
“Roger is my neighbor in town and one of my best friends and I just love playing golf with him,” he said. “He and Greg pushed me the entire weekend.
“He’s also a former groundskeeper at this course for many years and he represents everything that’s great about the Osoyoos Golf Club. I can’t tell you what a pleasure it was to play all weekend with him and Greg.”
Saarinen said the downturn in oil production in Alberta has given him much more time to practice his golf game the past few months and it paid off handsomely over the weekend.
“I’ve played a lot more golf than I usually do … and I actually played a practice round early in the morning both days and it really paid off,” he said.
For Wood, reclaiming the title she won in 2011 and 2012 after the two-year reign by Aukema, was very rewarding.
“I won it two years in a row before Paule won it the last two years and it’s nice to be back in the winner’s circle,” she said. “I got to play against Paule all weekend and that’s always a thrill.
“Actually playing with Paule and Brenda Hendrickson all weekend was one of the most memorable and fun things I’ve ever done on a golf course. We were all playing well and going back and forth and applauding each other’s shots. There was no pressure and we were having so much fun. It was such a great thing to be a part of.”
Wood fired an opening round of 79 on the Desert Golf course and followed that with an 81 on Sunday to claim the title by a couple of strokes over Aukema.
The title was still up for grabs heading to the 16th hole on Sunday, but Aukema had a double bogey on the par three hole, while she managed a par, giving her a three-shot cushion with only two holes to play.
“The 16th hole was the turning point … it was up for grabs and back and forth all day until that point,” she said. “Paule is so great to play with and such a tough competitor and to edge her out was exciting.”
Dundas, 66, claimed his second-consecutive senior club championship in thrilling fashion as he managed to par the second playoff hole against Chamberlain.
“It was a dogfight right to the end,” said Dundas. “We both had a par on the first playoff hole and he hit one bad shot on the second playoff hole and that was it.
“Winning the club championship in a playoff was a great thing to be part of and I want to thank Jerry for battling so hard all weekend.”
Winning a club championship is something to be very proud of, said Dundas.
“It’s exhausting,” he said.
Dundas praised the entire staff and all the members at Osoyoos Golf Club for a job well done.
“The course is in the best shape it has ever been in,” he said. “It’s simply immaculate, the greens were perfect and it made for a fantastic tournament.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
